BECCA Season of Willows (14 page)

“Okay. Good. I say we vote.”
Becca choked and barked a laugh.
“Vote?”

Mac sat with a serious face.

“Pa said that every red blooded American had a right to vote. We’re all Americans. And we all have red blood. So I think we should vote.”
Mazie clapped her hands.

“Me too!”

Mac snorted at his sister.

Becca blinked a few times trying to fathom where all this had come from. She looked at River who’s eyes were dancing with mirth as he was trying to keep a stoic expression.

Becca sighed and smiled at him.
He is so handsome. And now that I know his heart so much better, he is a wonderful man. And he is so…so…passionate. That kiss nearly burned all the way to my toes. I really do believe he loves me and I think I may just love him too. Oh admit it Becca, you love him! You need him and what’s more, you want him. Yes, admit it! You trust him too. He’ll protect and provide for you and the children.

And while we’re at it, you need to stop thinking of these children as ‘the’ children. They are ‘my’ children now. Soon they may be River’s and my children. Oh! I just remembered! He wants ‘many’ children!

Becca bit her lip and shook herself out of her reverie. Everyone at the table was looking at her. Becca blinked again.
“Well I guess we vote then.”
Mac stood and pounded the table with the butt of his knife.

“Hear ye, Hear ye! We are gathered today as a family to vote on two things. First we vote on if River should marry Mama. Pa wrote in his will that he should, so we know Pa wanted that. But since Pa is in heaven now, we need a new Pa. The voting will start. All in favor of River marryin’ Mama and being our new Pa, raise your hand and say ‘aye’.”
Everyone raised their hands, and said ‘aye’, especially Mazie who was waving both of her hands with wild determination. “Me, me, me!”

Mac giggled and kissed his sister’s head.

“That’s ‘aye’ Mazie girl. Not ‘me’.” Mac looked around very serious.
“It is unagamous! The motion is passed.”
Becca giggled.

“The word is ‘unanimous’, Mac. It means that we all agree.”
Mac laughed.
“Okay Mama. Thanks. It has been voted that River and Mama will get married.”
He banged the knife butt on the table again like that issue was settled.
“The next thing we vote on is something Mazie and me have talked about a lot. So now we vote on whether River ‘adapts’ us as his family and we become his children.”
Becca was surprised.
Mac and Mazie had talked about River adopting them? She was a little shocked by that. She hadn’t even thought of it.
 

“Well Mr. Henderson said that we needed to find a Pa quick because he was afraid that Aunt Ada in town would swoop out here and start takin’ over. He was surprised that it hadn’t already happened. So we’ll vote.”

Mac banged the table with the knife butt again.
“All in favor of River adapting us as his children raise your hand and say ‘aye’.”

Becca bit her lip thinking she should say something. This was serious business.
“The word is ‘adopting’ Mac and that is a very serious thing. Do you understand that it would mean River will be your father? That he will be in charge of raising you? And it may mean changing your name?”
Mac frowned and looked at Mazie as she nodded to him.

“Well Mama. After me and Mazie got over bein’ mad at Pa and takin’ it out on River, we talked a lot about what we would like.

So when we all went to the mercantile last week, Mr. Jeb and me, we talked. He had a notion that it might be good if River added to his name instead of us changing ours if y’all decided to marry. Which by the way, after Mr. Jeb quit laughin’ he said it was a great idea.

He said that it would tickle the crap out of Pa that River marry Mama and take his last name after them being so close and all. After all, they were brothers so to speak.
So me and Mazie had a talk about it and we liked that idea. River wouldn’t be changing his name, he is just addin’ to it. Me and Mazie liked the name Still River McGann.”
 

River was astonished. He had never thought in a million years that the children would honor him with their name. They had voted? Voted! And they all agreed that he should marry his Becca?
He was feeling very humble and full of happiness.
Becca eyes were sparkling as she gazed at him. She seemed happy too. River sat with his usual expression of being unmoved. Becca smirked.
“What do you think about that River? Would you add to your name and become Still River McGann?”
River raised a brow and started telling a tale. Something he usually did to teach the children something important.
“I will tell you that when I was baby. Ina (Mother) name me River. Then as River grew to be walking, River ran everywhere. River was running everywhere in the way of people. He was pest like fly in face!”

Mac and Mazie laughed and Becca grinned, shaking her head.
“When River came to age of boyhood, he was again named by council, ‘Running River’.
The people thought name very funny because River ran everywhere. So when Running River came to age to be warrior, he want to keep running instead of learn to use knife and bow.
Ahte (Father) finally took control of Running River and sent him to woodshed with words. Running River calm down and pay attention to learning to be warrior.
The people so happy they tell council to rename River again. Council name River ‘Still River’. Chief thought it very funny and had special ceremony to name me ‘Still River’. The people laughed much over that name for Still River…still ran.”
Mac and Mazie as well as Becca laughed and giggled at that tale.
“Is that the truth, River?”

River nodded. “It is the truth. Every word. I would tell you no lie. Sioux change their names many times during life. To change name to add my brother name would be honor.
I will change name to Still River McGann.”
Mac and Mazie clapped their hands in glee and Becca clapped too grinning at River. River saw in her eyes many nights of love and him giving her many children including raising these two treasures.
Becca stood and moved around to him and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him. River grinned as the children joined in kissing his face. Mac stopped and banged the knife butt on the table.

“Motion is passed…Ahte (Father).”
That night as River lay on his sleeping bench. He contemplated how quickly life changes. Just yesterday he was sure he would never marry. So sure he would never have the love of Becca. He was so sure they all hated him now. And in just a moment of time, it had all changed. They had voted. They held their own council meeting as a family and voted! They had asked him to forgive. Make peace with them. All was done now.
He would forgive and start a new life with Becca and the children. They would go through this life together as a family.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
 

The next morning the dawning Sun seemed to shine brighter, The air smelled cleaner and the birds in the trees were singing a sweet song. River stood outside watching the show while pulling on his shirt and buttoning it. He had washed earlier, he was dressed and he was also hungry.

He gathered the eggs and milked the cow taking his bounty to the kitchen door. He opened it finding a smiling woman. His Becca.
“Hau Becca.” River smiled back at her.
She is so beautiful. My Becca, my woman.
“Good morning, River.”

She took the eggs as he set the milk on the counter. As he turned to her she slipped into his embrace as she rose on tip-toe and kissed him. Their lips seemed to fuse together, drawn together by a pulling from each of their hearts. River turned his head to get a better taste as Becca slid her hands over his broad shoulders and down his muscled arms.
They moved away from each other smiling. Becca broke the silence as she brushed his cheeks with her hands.

“I’ll have breakfast ready in a few minutes. How does your favorite sound?”

River’s eyes glowed with happiness.

“Flapjacks?”
Becca giggled.
“And eggs…and bacon.”
River nodded. “Good.”

Becca grinned and got busy.
 

Breakfast came easy and they ate in peace. River of course ate like he hadn’t eaten in years. After he had eaten his fourth plate of flapjacks, he looked up at Becca. “When do you wish to marry me?”
Becca had been meaning to talk about this with him, now was as good as any.
Well, as you know, Harrison and I married at the church in a hurry. I still want to marry in the church and I thought it would be nice to marry today.
The last time I was in town Marie Ettles saw me in the mercantile and practically held me hostage before I would tell her who I was going to marry…and soon. She wanted me to marry her son who is eighteen.
Mac looked horrified.
“Eighteen?”
Becca nodded and made a funny face.
River snorted. “What did you say?”

Becca raised a brow.
“I told her I already had two children to raise.”

River leaned back and roared with laughter. Becca had never seen River laugh and his laughter was contagious. It was deep and full of merriment. Becca started laughing and continued her tale.

“She told me to get to it! She said that widows don’t last long around here unless they were very mean or very ugly. She said it wasn’t going to be long before I had men lined up at my door.”
River laughter faded.

“We should marry soon then. I do not want men lined up to marry you. You are mine now…unless you have changed your mind.”

Becca stared at River gritting her teeth.
“Just stop! I have NOT changed my mind!” Becca took a breath.
“Besides following the wishes of my late husband’s will, I have found no other man that I trust to care for me or my children. My mind is set on you, River.”
She shifted in her seat and placed her napkin in her lap.
River gave a nod.
“So we go to town today and have ceremony. You marry me.”

Becca giggled and served her plate.
“I bet Preacher Paul is there just waiting for us since gossip has no doubt hit town about you and me. Yeah, you know those cowboys in the bunkhouse are a bunch of old women when it comes to gossip.”

Taking a deep breath, River nodded. “Then we dress and go.”
 

River had just taken a bath in the stream when Becca came into his tipi with a suit. He stood there in a towel looking absolutely marvelous. Becca blinked and walked to him already smelling the mint that was his special scent.
“River? I didn’t want to offend you, but…well, this is a suit of Harrison’s that was too big for him. I didn’t know if you had one, or if you would wear one. It is up to you.”
River laid it on the bench bed and nodded. Becca brightened and danced out of the tipi.

“I have to go get dressed.”

As they rolled into town, people stopped and stared at the sight. A beautiful white woman in a Ivory wedding dress and a smiling Indian in a black suit and fancy vest. They were a handsome couple full of contrasts. They stopped off at the Law offices and talked with their lawyer. An hour later they walked out and got back in the wagon heading for the church.
As River drove the wagon to other side of town he dropped the check rein out in front of the church. There were at least twenty-five people following from town walking or on horseback to see what was happening. Men and women filled the church and sat waiting for something to happen.

With Becca in a wedding dress and River suited up looking his handsome self, there was no doubt there was going to be a wedding.
The preacher ran out to the sanctuary looking at the couple in astonishment and the crowd behind them.
“Becca and River? What can I do for you?”

Becca smiled remembering it wasn’t too long ago that she heard those same words to her and Harrison.
River and Becca stood in front of the pulpit and spoke softly with the preacher. The preacher grinned and asked a few more questions. Preacher Paul grinned again and shook River’s hand.

“I know Harrison is up there smiling about this, River. Becca? You sure about this?”

Becca smiled and nodded. The children stood silent waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The preacher stood up to his full height of five foot eight and looked seriously at his flock that had gathered.

“This is a day for rejoicing! We were all shocked and upset about the death of Harrison McGann and eight other cowhands during the twister that raged through our area into Kansas. Many of our town suffered great loss and we will miss every soul that met the Lord that day.
Harrison’s widow Becca was a Mail Order Bride all the way from Virginia. Her son now, Mac, was the one who wrote her the letters getting her out here. He even used his own money he had been saving to get her here. The reason was, he wanted a Ma. A woman who would love him and his sister enough to sacrifice and marry their Pa who we all know was very bitter after his wife left and divorced him.

Becca came to town and married Harrison on their way home. I conducted the wedding myself and they had only a few short weeks of marriage until Harrison left for Kansas with his herd.
Harrison had made several requests in his will for his widow and his very best friend Still River.
We will be taking care of all three of these requests today.”